Apple have released their latest version of the iPad. It is called the iPad Pro and it is distinct in that it is has a 12.9 inch screen compared with the iPad Air 2's 9.7 inch screen. This model will be available in Australia in November. Pricing has not yet been released but you can choose from a 128GB wifi and cellular model or a 32GB or 128GB wifi model. I am pleased to see that 16GB is no longer available as this is a very limited capacity and leaves hardly any room for other apps and data once the iOS and updates have been installed. Other than the larger screen size and a newer CPU, the Pro appears to have the same specifications as the iPad Air 2. This is no surprise as Apple like to drip feed features so they have something to market at the next hardware release cycle. For those wanting a larger screen experience the iPad Pro should be a welcome addition to the Apple line up.
Speaking of iOS, Apple have updated this to version 9. This is to improve features such as multitasking on the larger iPad screen (you can have a split screen with 2 apps running simultaneously). There are supposed improvements to Siri, which include helpful suggestions (paper clip anyone?). In addition battery life should be improved with smart use of sensors that can tell if the phone is facedown and other improvements to the operating system. Apple have also realised that people don't want to download monolithic OS updates and have allowed for smaller updates in the future.
One feature that people may need to be wary of is the Wifi Assist option. This detects if you are in a marginal wifi area and switches to the cellular (or mobile) network to improve network performance. There have been reports of people using 3 times as much data on the their mobile plans, so it is recommended that this be turned off if you have a limited data quota (let's face it who doesn't at the rate the telco's charge us for mobile data). Lastly it is wise to make sure you have backed up your data before upgrading the operating system. A reboot often helps to clean up any misbehaving apps as well. Better to be safe than find you have to reset your device and start from scratch.
